Thursday, 31 May 2012

I had a wonderfully successful May, this probably had something to do with the fact I haven't been in college and took part in the Bout of Books read-a-thon, I have a feeling I'll do well next month too because I'm taking part in a few challenges/read-a-thons that will encourage me to read more and I want to get through most of the review books I received below

In other interesting news I've finally got together my group of girls who I will be creating a YouTube with specifically for booktubing, its been a lot of work to get there but we're finally at the stage where our videos will start being uploaded next week. I will provide a link at some point! Keep your eyes peeled.

Synopsis:Vampires live only for lust and pleasure in the eternal twilight of Vamp City. But the city’s magic is dying. The only person who can restore it? A beautiful woman from the mortal world...one who knows nothing of the power she wields.Quinn Lennox is searching for a missing friend when she stumbles into a dark otherworld that only she can see—and finds herself at the mercy of Arturo Mazza, a dangerously handsome vampire whose wicked kiss will save her, enslave her, bewitch her, and betray her. What Arturo can’t do is forget about her—any more than Quinn can control her own feelings for him. Neither one can let desire get in the way of their mission—his to save his people, hers to save herself.

But there is no escape from desire in a city built for seduction, where passion flows hot and blood-red. Welcome to Vamp City...Review: I received a signed advanced readers copy of this book through a giveaway on Goodreads and was dying to get my teeth sunk into at once, unfortunately life and various other books had different plans so it took longer than I thought to get to it. Whilst my love of vampires is a strong one causing me to almost instantly love anything vampire related (my Dad even tells his work friends that I don't want a job when I grow up because I'm going to become a vampire, hey I'm a kid at heart still) but this book left me with mixed feelings.

The book started of great, I was completely drawn into Quinn's odd and very unusual life of ever-changing-coloured-clothes and how Zack and Lily were somewhat like myself and my boyfriends which I spent a while giggling over and then read out to him, he also saw the similarities. At this point I wanted nothing more to adore this book with all my heart but it got little weird when Quinn and her brother fall into Vamp City in search of the Lily who has gone missing. I don't mean your regular kind of vampires running about left, right and centre weird, what I'm referring to is after Quinn and Zack fell through they were pounced on by some vampires, a different vampire came and "saved" Quinn for some unknown reason, fed of her and raped her and ta-da! Cause that is all it takes these days to send lovely women shaky at the knees with a constant desire to be with him. Any way my point is I don't understand the strong relationship that Arturo and Quinn end up having because he's a vampire and constantly lives up to his vampire tendencies - lying, deceiving and betrayal. I would also like to point out this is the first book I've read where there has been that much detail in the sexy scenes and it was a little odd to get used - I'm pretty sure I didn't get used to it because I'm really prude - but I wont turn down new genres just because I think I'm not suited to it. Even though this review so far has been a little negative I want to completely turn it on its head now because the truth is that I adored the story line, I loved Quinn's love for her brother and how desperate she was to do anything to find him and save him, I mean escaping three times is a pretty difficult thing to do from normal kidnappers never mind those that are super strong, super fast and have a great love of feeding on your pain or fear. The storyline is what made me keep reading to the end because I had to know how it ended, I had to know if the three of them (Quinn, Lily and Zack) would end up safe and sound at home and I had to know whether Quinn was the sorceress they needed to save Vamp City! I forgot to mention that didn't I? Basically the vampires are in need of a stronger sorcerer/sorceress to renew the magic of Vamp City to stop it from collapsing on itself, stop the sun breaking through their barrier and in turn save all their lives and the lives of the Slaves or Slavas living there too, oh and the werewolves. Yes we have werewolves too, they didn't really play much of a part in this book and were mentioned once or twice and walked past once and had one conversation with another character but I do think this small introduction to them could be foreshadowing that they may have a larger role in one of the sequels? Due to my dire need to know whether Quinn succeeded in saving Vamp City is what capture my attention (and I had to throw it aside a little when she got all lovey dovey with Arturo because it didn't make sense) and I am actually looking forward to reading Book 2, whether I continue beyond that lies entirely with how well Book 2 is written.

Recommend: I think this is one you need to make your own choice on, I'm so parted with my own thoughts.

Wednesday, 30 May 2012

I am no longer taking part in On My Wishlist due to the fact the host hasn't updated her blog since the start of May and I tried to contact her via twitter and haven't heard anything, luckily I found a great replacement that is up and running! Thank you.

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Pen to Paper where we can share books that are on our wishlist.

This week I decided on having a Natsuo Kirino themed week, I already have one of his books and really want to get my hands on some of his others.

Real World:In a crowded residential suburb on the outskirts of Tokyo, four teenage girls indifferently wade their way through a hot, smoggy summer and endless “cram school” sessions meant to ensure entry into good colleges. There’s Toshi, the dependable one; Terauchi, the great student; Yuzan, the sad one, grieving over the death of her mother—and trying to hide her sexual orientation from her friends; and Kirarin, the sweet one, whose late nights and reckless behavior remain a secret from those around her. When Toshi’s next-door neighbor is found brutally murdered, the girls suspect the killer is the neighbor’s son, a high school boy they nickname Worm. But when he flees, taking Toshi’s bike and cell phone with him, the four girls get caught up in a tempest of dangers—dangers they never could have even imagined—that rises from within them as well as from the world around them. Psychologically intricate and astute, dark and unflinching, Real World is a searing, eye-opening portrait of teenage life in Japan unlike any we have seen before.

Out:Nothing in Japanese literature prepares us for the stark, tension-filled, plot-driven realism of Natsuo Kirino’s award-winning literary mysteryOut. This mesmerizing novel tells the story of a brutal murder in the staid Tokyo suburbs, as a young mother who works the night shift making boxed lunches strangles her abusive husband and then seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body and cover up her crime. The coolly intelligent Masako emerges as the plot’s ringleader, but quickly discovers that this killing is merely the beginning, as it leads to a terrifying foray into the violent underbelly of Japanese society.At once a masterpiece of literary suspense and pitch-black comedy of gender warfare, Out is also a moving evocation of the pressures and prejudices that drive women to extreme deeds, and the friendships that bolster them in the aftermath.

In:R is the other woman. Labelled simply with one initial, her identity in the famous 1940s novel that recounts the damage she did to her lover's family remains shrouded in mystery. The novelist who carried out an illicit relationship with her, and then used her as material for his work, became a celebrated writer. But R never had the chance to put her side of the story. Tamaki is determined to find out who R really was. A writer herself, she is working on a book about R and begins to uncover clues about the real story behind the novel - and the great tragedy of the novelist's life. While she throws herself into her research she's aware that her own imperfect relationships are also up for scrutiny. Her ex-lover, Seiji, is gravely ill in hospital and her reminiscences about their long affair strike echoes with the subject of her work. In this compelling and illuminating novel, prize-winning author, Natuso Kirino explores the themes of love and death, and the significance of fiction. (Out 2013)

Sunday, 27 May 2012

Bought, Borrowed and Bagged is a weekly event hosted by Talk Supe where you can share the books you have bought, borrowed or bagged (won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews and on going events.

Bought (paperback):

Fallen by Lauren Kate

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fades, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save.

A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux. While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire.

Advanced Chem? Easy. Psychic powers? Gotcha. Save the girl? Uh...Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, an enticing new girl comes to their small Midwest town all the way from India. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Sophomore year might not be so bad after all. Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they suggest Simmi is in mortal danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex embarks on his journey to change the future.

The Empire of Andresium is threatened by the corruption of the immortals, ancient beings given the gift of eternal life after the death of the last reigning empress. A prophecy speaks of their eventual downfall at the hands of one of their own, however. Tallis is known by most simply as "The Loren," and seeks to avoid her destiny while trying herself to remain untainted by the decaying morals and indifference to the fates of men that plague her kind. As the events of the prophecy begin to unfold, Tallis finds herself conflicted between upholding her dedication to justice, and falling victim to the ramifications of following the desires of her own heart.

Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together. And then he falls in love… With the last girl he would expect… Totally not in his game plan. Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he’s always prided himself on. He can’t even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig. But the Hook-up Doctor won’t let himself go down easily. He’s always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it’s time to figure out what a boy wants… and he definitely plans on getting it.

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Saturday, 26 May 2012

This is a weekly event, originally created by Book Chick City, and now hosted by Cosy Books, where we showcase the books which are currently top of our wishlist. Old, new or yet to be released titles are all welcome. And why keep it to books?

First up I've selected a series by one author, that isn't actually available in English so they're on my wishlist for not wanting to buy but for wanting to be translated! I've heard a lot of great things about his work and how he's the up and coming Stieg Larsson but I'd like to personally put his work to the text. But its a little hard to start the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo as book 1 and 2 haven't been translated to English so if you want to read the English ones it called "The Oslo Trilogy" and its book 3, 4 and 5 of the Harry Hole series. I wont lie here, this really annoys me because I'd love to read the whole set, not just the middle. So for now I've bough book 3 and it will stay on my to be read list until they step up their book translating game. Obviously the translations below of Book 1 and 2 are not in English but I'm posting them any way in case one of you is able to translate for me, I know I could just go to Google translate but that isn't always 100% correct.Synopsis of Flaggermusmannnen:Harry Hole quitte Oslo pour enquêter en Australie sur le meurtre d'une jeune Norvégienne. Cette enquête l'amène à se documenter sur d'anciennes légendes aborigènes qui semblent avoir un lien avec l'affaire. Un deuxième meurtre survient, alors que la police tente de piéger l'assassin.(I'm actually assuming that says Harry Hole leaves Oslo for Australia...?)

Following the theme of series Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle, its a little different to my usual choices but it does sound really appealing to me.

Synopsis:In 1837 London, young daughters of viscounts pined for handsome, titled husbands, not careers. And certainly not careers in magic. At least, most of them didn't. Shy, studious Persephone Leland would far rather devote herself to her secret magic studies than enter society and look for a suitable husband. But right as the inevitable season for "coming out" is about to begin, Persy and her twin sister discover that their governess in magic has been kidnapped as part of a plot to gain control of the soon-to-be Queen Victoria. Racing through Mayfair ballrooms and royal palaces, the sisters overcome bad millinery, shady royal spinsters, and a mysterious Irish wizard. And along the way, Persy learns that husband hunting isn’t such an odious task after all, if you can find the right quarry.

Friday, 25 May 2012

I am currently making my way through A Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer, which I won a copy of via a Goodreads giveaway.

This actually took a lot of thought, I've picked Ali Larter to be Quinn.

Her half-brother is described as having ginger curly hair and I can't pretty much only think of Seth Green for the role and he's a geek anyway so he fits. Just take away the facial hair.

Finally for Arturo the Vampire I imagine someone who is tall, well built and slightly tanned. No idea why but that is how I see him. I also can't really think of who would fit this role so any suggestions would be good - I think I'm struggling cause I don't really like him, at least I'm not attracted to him like Quinn is and I certainly can't see why she is either!

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Synopsis: Special interest groups have bullied the government into passing the Clean Act, effectively killing freedom of speech and silencing the country into submission. TV and God become one and the same as America wages its own holy war against its citizens. Meet Jennie 2.5, media slut turned info-terrorist, out to save the country from itself, and restore free will and self expression. Hailed internationally as ground-breaking work in the field of sequential art, Channel Zero challenges and tests the limits, combining current events and no-future shock into a dark, paranoid, deep-ambient visual narrative.Review: I recieved an ARC digital copy of Channel Zero from NetGalley, which I read on my computer, I had no trouble with this but did notice it caused the pages to be slightly pixelated meaning I couldn't appreciate the beauty of the art as much as I normally would when reading a graphic novel, but also the smaller text was harder to read, even with these negative parts which have nothing to do with the author or illustrator I feel I should mention them because even with these faults I have still rated it highly which illustrates just how much I enjoyed it, I have also actually got it on pre-order so I can drool over the art some more and let my boyfriend read it too as he is a sucker for Dark Horse books. Now time for my actual review part.
From the very first page this hits me as a very "V for Vendatta"-esque piece of work but also a very important because it is essentially that something could happen, or even is in the process of happening. It is set in America where they have recently passed the "Clean Act" which basically means the government has complete control over the media, nothing is show or told to the populations without the governments say so, and what is told is most likely manipulated to help the people feel safe whilst outside of America pretty much anything and everything could be happening and the American citizens wouldn't know a thing or recognise the outside world if they were to leave. I think on of the main reason I took to this book so well is because I love the storyline, but also because the main character Jennie 2.5 is so lovable and is very much an outcast as she appears to be the only person in the whole of America who can see how wrong their lives are and is fighting to regain to control for the public and I totally dig the underdogs. Not to mention she has the most rad tattoo's I've ever seen and style. What I also loved about this book was after the story had finished it included the development of the authors art and progress and development ideas that led him to this final outcome, which is something often included within graphic novels but the reason I loved it for this specific one is that you learn that Brian Wood actualyl created this for a school assignment! After Channel Zero has come to and end there is also a short story titled Jennie One which a different illustrator did the art for and I loved this section too, but again it included Becky's development stages in how she progressed from an manga based art style to something so much more. I loved this book throughout, every page has been deeply engraved in my mind and I can not wait to get my hands on my physically copy to read it again. Hey I may even pop back and let you know what my boyfriend thought too!

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

I've been admiring YouTube book vloggers from a far for a while and I've realised its something I'd love to do but I have one problem, one pretty big problem - I am ridiculously shy. After sparking up a conversation with a fellow book blogger (Rachel) who also had the same issue I came up with a solution - a group YouTube channel! This way we can encourage one and another to put out new content and videos and work as a small community, obviously this idea will need some fine tuning and we'll need to discuss what videos can go up when but before that can be discussed and decided I need other people who wish to join in. The aim of this is of course to be fun and to add a little something extra to our blogs and will not be a chore especially if I can gather up a few of us to participate. If you have a friend that you think would like to take part please pass this post onto them as well.

If you're interested please contact me with the following information either by email or goodreads messages
email: northernplunder(at)gmail(dot)com and goodreads

Name:
Blog URL:
Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads:
Why you'd like to join in:
Any ideas you have:
If you've sent a friend to me what is their name and URL:

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Synopsis:Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they've helped those in need on the sly. They've always thought of their abilities as being a gift. Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they've always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.

Review: Whilst doing the daily rounds of visiting your blogs I stumbled across Intangible, it was the cover that took my eye and after reading the synopsis I knew I really wanted to read it. I also knew I was on a book buying ban and I wouldn't be able to get my hands on it any time soon, or so I thought. Not longer after leaving my comment, J. Meyers contacted me and offered me a copy for review. I was so happy, and after reading it I am even more glad that she did. It didn't take many pages for me to realise I was going to adore this book, and then the appearance of Jonas confirmed it. In case you're unaware I am a complete sucker for Vampires, on the synopsis of this book there is no mention of them and low and behold we have one, one who I imagine to be pretty dashing even whilst feeding. ...I'm getting a little sidetracked here. The story follows twins Sera and Luke as they each start to realise there is more to their powers, more to their life, than they originally thought or knew. Luke has the ability to See the future, but not at his own will, the future he has Seen is not a happy one as it is his sisters death. As the future unfolds before him - bit by bit - he has to piece together what he learns to find a way to stop his sisters fate, but it turns out to be a lot harder than he imagined especially with all the extra attention she starts to get. Sera is a healer and being a healer has it's ups and downs. The obvious positives about it is she can heal people who are hurt physically or emotionally, the negatives are that this isn't a natural gift and she needs to be very careful with how she goes about her healing to not get noticed. Unfortunately it does, by the wrong kind of people. It is because of this that their lives soon get turned upside down which is when the book gets very fast paced as we follow the twins, their best friend - Feyth - and Sera's "new boyfriend", not the mention the dashing Vampire Jonas! I adored this book and even though I tried to guess the ending - which I do with every book because I like to figure out what is coming - I actually didn't figure this one out which is definitely good news for me because well (going off topic here a little bit) I'll be watching a Vampire Diaries episode and 5 minutes in I tell my Dad what is going to happen at the end and I'm always right. But as I was saying it was nice to be surprised by the outcome of everything, I have a feeling that it has something to do with the fact I was super emerged in the book and could hardly think about anything else (completely unlike Vampire Diaries, I mean c'mon how many parent figures do you HAVE to kill off?). At the end of the book it gives a little sneak preview into what to expect from the next book by briefly introducing two new characters which I'm super happy happened because otherwise I would have been left confused as to how the series could follow so now I have to sit and wait patiently for the second to arrive, and I'm no good at being patient! To sum up, I loved this book and highly recommend it to well, everyone and once I'm allowed to buy books again I will be buying a paperback copy so it can join my stack of books (I don't have a book shelf...).

Published: November 3rd 2011Page Count: 51Synopsis:A Bonus Intangible Short Story. Luke and his twin sister Sera have unusual abilities. Hers is a gift—she can heal with a touch of her hand. His is a curse—he can see the future but he can’t do anything about it. On a hike up the mountain, Luke has a vision unlike any other—one that leaves him terrified. Knowing that it will come true—and that he must do everything in his power to stop it—leaves his own future uncertain.Review: Before I started reading Intangible I looked into what other books J. Meyers had written and saw Intuition. It is free to purchase off Amazon and it is very much a prequel to Intangible. I actually read it after though because I didn't notice how short it was and wanted to be able to review Intangible as soon as possible. Even though this was only 51 pages it really gave you a sense of who Luke and Sera are as characters and what I loved even more is that the incident that happens within this book is referred to in Intangible which I didn't know at the time and was sat wondering why it got mentioned two or three times because I wasn't aware of the significance of it, d'oh! Completely my own fault for rushing into things head on though. Unlike Intangible I gave this four stars rather than five because it is more of a little back story to the Twins and not much happens but it was still lovely and worth reading. So if for whatever reason you're still unsure if you want to pick this series up then I recommend hopping over to download this to get a taste of Sera and Luke's lives.

Monday, 21 May 2012

Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from hosted by Book Journey.

As you may have noticed I didn't take part in this event last week, by choice. That was because I knew I'd be putting a lot of posts out due to Bout of Books, now that is over my posting will go back to normal. After all the reading I did last week - and in case you're not aware, I ended up reading 6 books which is a lot for me - I'm going to take things a little slower this week.First up I'm going to start and hopefully finish A Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer so I can get a review up for the release, I should have picked it up sooner but I got distracted.

Vampires live only for lust and pleasure in the eternal twilight of Vamp City. But the city’s magic is dying. The only person who can restore it? A beautiful woman from the mortal world...one who knows nothing of the power she wields. Quinn Lennox is searching for a missing friend when she stumbles into a dark otherworld that only she can see—and finds herself at the mercy of Arturo Mazza, a dangerously handsome vampire whose wicked kiss will save her, enslave her, bewitch her, and betray her. What Arturo can’t do is forget about her—any more than Quinn can control her own feelings for him. Neither one can let desire get in the way of their mission—his to save his people, hers to save herself. But there is no escape from desire in a city built for seduction, where passion flows hot and blood-red. Welcome to Vamp City...

I'd also like to aim to finish Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter as I shunned it to the side a little because I was busy favouriting other books which is terrible of me as Abe was a book of the month read for last month! Ooops.

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness." "My baby boy..." she whispers before dying. Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire. When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House. While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years. Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

Well that's all I'm aiming for this week, I have new ones ready for the week after which I am dying to get stuck into just as much.

Sunday, 20 May 2012

For our last day of the Bout of Books read-a-thon I decided to not only include my progress of today but of all the days. This was my first read-a-thon that I have ever taken part in and I really enjoyed it, I can't wait for the next one where I aim to read for longer and read more ;) Today I spent 30 minutes reading, and finishing, Intangible (review on Tuesday) and also chose to pick up Intuition, may as well as I have all that time left over.

When I first made my goals post for Bout of Books I aimed to read 4 books, which I more than achieved. I ended up reading different books than selected due to reviews needed and getting my hands on graphic novels that I didn't expect to have for a lot longer. Below I'll include synopsis' of the books I read.

Specials by Scott Westerfeld:Special Circumstances. Tally though they were a rumor, but now she's one of the them. A Special. A super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid. But maybe being perfectly programmed with strength and focus isn'tbetter than anything she's ever known. Tally still has memories of something else. But it's easy for her to tune that out—until she's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same. (full series review to come once I've read Extras)

Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore:The Killing Joke, one of my favorite Batman stories ever, stirred a bit of controversy because the story involves the Joker brutally, pointlessly shooting Commissioner Gordon's daughter in the spine. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The art by Brian Bolland is so appealing that his depiction of the Joker became a standard and was imitated by many artists to follow.

Channel Zero by Brian Wood:Special interest groups have bullied the government into passing the Clean Act, effectively killing freedom of speech and silencing the country into submission. TV and God become one and the same as America wages its own holy war against its citizens. Meet Jennie 2.5, media slut turned info-terrorist, out to save the country from itself, and restore free will and self expression. Hailed internationally as ground-breaking work in the field of sequential art, Channel Zero challenges and tests the limits, combining current events and no-future shock into a dark, paranoid, deep-ambient visual narrative. (review to come)

Intangible by J. Meyers:Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift. Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it. (review to come)

Intuition by J. Meyers:Luke and his twin sister Sera have unusual abilities. Hers is a gift—she can heal with a touch of her hand. His is a curse—he can see the future but he can’t do anything about it. On a hike up the mountain, Luke has a vision unlike any other—one that leaves him terrified. Knowing that it will come true—and that he must do everything in his power to stop it—leaves his own future uncertain. (review to come)

Pandora Hearts Volume 1 by Jun Mochizuki:The air of celebration surrounding fifteen-year-old Oz Vessaliuss coming-of-age ceremony quickly turns to horror when he is condemned for a sin about which he know nothing. Thrown into the Abyss - an eternal prison from which here is no escape - Oz meets a young girl named Alice who is not what she seems. Now that the relentless cogs of fate have begun to turn, will they lead only to crushing despair for Oz, or will Alice provide him with some shred of hope?

Bought, Borrowed and Bagged is a weekly event hosted by Talk Supe where you can share the books you have bought, borrowed or bagged (won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews and on going events.

NetGalley:

Rape Girl by Alina Klein

Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl. But not the rape girl. That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what ha

ppened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it. Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers. The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same. Rape Girl is the compelling story of a survivor who does the right thing and suffers for it. It is also the story of a young woman’s struggle to find the strength to fight back.

Following a boy, who thinks he's the master of disguise because his given name is Elizabeth, and his weekly, hour-long radio show, where he entertains the world as his true self, pitched as Pump Up the Volume for this generation.

Earth is dead, destroyed by war, pollution, and ineptitude. What was left of the population has escaped to Mars. Hoping not to repeat the mistakes of the past, they have formed two new independent colonies: Aethpis and Zephyria, each with its own government and each with its own guarantees of rights and freedom. The two colonies will balance each other, keeping any single government from running Mars and gaining absolute power. Lunara, a smaller colony on Earth’s moon, is charged with catching and mining meteors for desperately needed minerals. But the deep-seated human thirst for domination is not easily defeated, nor is the capacity for deceit and betrayal. All it needs is a powerful catalyst, a prize valuable enough to risk plunging mankind into another destructive war. Seth and Chloe, starwing fighter pilots attached to the mining ship Protector, are caught up in a violent series of events when Lunara is invaded. Seth, Chloe, and the crew of the Protector attempt to sor

t out who is responsible. A civil war ensues and the tide of suspicion swings back and forth between Aethpis and Zephyria.

Rich Pickings for Ravens is the first part of The Afterlife Crisis Trilogy and Tom Conrad’s whimsical and gently amusing debut novel. In the classic detective mould two cases of inquiry overlap - a young ghost’s relationship past and the sequence of events surrounding his mysterious accidental death. In a nut shell, Rich Picking For Ravens is a modern-day ghostly tale of sexual adventuring, smut, murderous humour and page-turning intrigue. In an even smaller nut shell, it is The Hobbit for adults, though with considerably more ghosts than hobbits in it. There are no hobbits in it!

Twelve people. Twelve star signs. Sagittarius - Holly, a travel writer, visits Tuscany to research her next book. Seeking help when her car breaks down, she gets more than assistance when Dario, a vineyard owner, puts temptation in her path. Disappearing without explanation, he proves elusive. Bruised, Holly tries to put it behind her until a chance encounter brings her feelings to the surface again. Capricorn – Holly’s fiancé, Tom misses her while she is in Italy and turns to an internet chat room for solace. His construction business is under threat, but could foul play be at work? Gemini - Holly’s sister, Lucy, a serial man-eater finally meets her match, which puts her long-term relationship and career in jeopardy. Cheating she discovers, can have devastating consequences. Libra - Holly’s uncle Jack, an eminent prosecutor, juggles a difficult teenage son with his high profile career and finds himself lacking. When his son’s school work starts slipping, he decides he needs to take control, but it’s not long before the balls all come tumbling down and Jack finds his family on the wrong side of the law. One event binds them all…

16 year old Eden Matthews has been in and out of private schools for the last two years. Kingsley is her last chance to finish high school and she is determined to simply do that. But when she meets Kiran Kendrick and her world opens to something she thought only existed in fairy tales, she's unsure what her future will hold. Suddenly she is captivated by a boy who seems to be the source of all of her problems and struggling to rescue her best friend from a foreign prison. When attempts are made on Kiran's life, Eden alone must save him. Thrust into a world that is more make-believe than reality, Eden has to find her own destiny without losing those she loves most. Reckless is an intricate story of mystery, adventure, magic and love. Eden Matthews is an unlikely heroine set on a path to save the world and her loved ones before its too late.

Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the "Jenny pox." She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town. Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgement, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Books Bought for the Boyfriend and Borrowed off him:Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore

The Killing Joke, one of my favorite Batman stories ever, stirred a bit of controversy because the story involves the Joker brutally, pointlessly shooting Commissioner Gordon's daughter in the spine. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The art by Brian Bolland is so appealing that his depiction of the Joker became a standard and was imitated by many artists to follow.

Have you ever wanted to be a super hero? Dreamed of donning a mask and just heading outside to some kick-ass? Well, this is the book for you - the comic that starts where other super-hero books draw the line. Kick-Ass is realistic super heroes taken to the next level. Miss out and you're an idiot! Wolverine: Enemy of the State's team of Mark Millar (Civil War) and John Romita Jr. (World War Hulk) reunite for the best new book of the 21st century. This title collects Kick-Ass numbered 1-8.